The Venice Film Festival has begun, and it has already found itself at the center of a political scandal. Israeli actress Gal Gadot has refused to appear on the red carpet of the event to present the film “In Dante’s Hand,” in which she starred with Gerard Butler. All because of fears for her own safety. Both actors have been criticized by Palestinian activists for supporting Israel during the war in Gaza, and the screening of the film is going to be accompanied by protests.
The organizers are under pressure from the group Venice4Palestine, which demands a boycott of all artists who publicly support Israel. Against this background, there were fears that 40-year-old Gadot could become a “lightning rod” for mass protests, so she decided not to take the risk, reports the Daily Mail.
Festival director Alberto Barbera stressed that organizers have already stepped up security measures — metal detectors, bag and pass checks, fences and police cordons — but he confirmed that Palestinian activists had threatened organizers. He demanded that they withdraw invitations for Gadot and Butler.